This invention relates generally to teleconferencing, and more specifically to a method and system for billing and allocating charges for such teleconferences.
Modern business experiences an ever-increasing need for allowing multiple parties to communicate by way of teleconference. As such, teleconferencing services that allow multiple parties to conference using, for example, the public switched telephone network (xe2x80x9cPSTNxe2x80x9d) have become common place. Typically, telephone calls originated by conference participants are bridged at a centrally located conference bridge.
In the future similar teleconferences will likely be readily available using a packet switched data or other communications network. Such similar teleconferences may incorporate data, audio and video, allowing conference participants to hear and see each other, as well as exchange information.
The costs of such teleconferences must, of course, be borne by someone. At present, costs of teleconference calls are typically billed to a call organizer. Commercial conference call service providers, for example, usually charge conference call organizers based on the duration of a call and the number of call participants or anticipated participants. Of course, if call participants are not local to the conference bridge, long distance charges may apply for a participant""s call to the bridge. These long distance charges are typically borne by individual participants.
Often, conference call organizers do not wish to discourage call participation. As such, efforts are made to minimize the inconvenience and expense to participants. As a result, conference calls are often offered by way of toll-free telephone lines. These lines are leased by the conference call service provider and associated costs are billed back to the conference call organizer.
Call organizers, in turn, make efforts to minimize toll charges. As such, conference call organizers make efforts to locate the conference call bridge in a location local to the majority of call participants. Conference call service to providers, as a consequence, often locate bridges in multiple large communities or lease telephone trunks local to such communities, thereby allowing the maximum number of callers to participate without incurring toll charges. This, of course, increases a conference call service provider""s overhead.
Accordingly, improved methods and associated devices for allocating conference call charges are desirable.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to allow a conference call service provider to charge a reduced rate for certain participants, allowing such service providers to compete with locally located conference bridges.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of calculating a billing total for a teleconference between a plurality of participants. Each of the participants originates participation in the teleconference. Each of the participants is associated with an identifier of origin identifying that participant""s origin. The method includes, in response to a teleconference organizer reserving teleconference resources for the teleconference, associating a selected reduced rate identifier of a specified origin of participants for whom reduced charges for participation in the teleconference are to be attribute d and storing the reduced rate identifier for the teleconference. For each of the participants whose identifier of origin corresponds to the reduced rate identifier, charges for participation in the teleconference are attributed to the total at a first rate. For each of the participants whose identifier of origin does not correspond to the reduced rate identifier, charges for participation in the teleconference are attributed to the total at a rate greater than the first rate.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conference call center including a conference bridge for bridging a plurality of conference participants in a teleconference and a computing device in communication with the bridge to receive information about a conference, including an indicator of a duration of each of the call participant""s participation in the call. The device is operable to calculate a charge total for the teleconference, by attributing charges to the total at a first rate, for each of the participants associated with a reduced rate identifier; attribute charges to the total at a rate greater than the first rate, for each of the participants associated with an identifier other than a reduced rate identifier.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a billing device for calculating a charge total for a telephone conference, in communication with a conference bridge for bridging a plurality of conference participants in a teleconference, including an indicator of a duration of each of the call participant""s participation in the call. The device is operable to calculate a charge total for the teleconference, by attributing charges to the total at a first rate, for each of the participants associated with a reduced rate identifier; and attribute charges to the total at a rate greater than the first rate, for each of the participants associated with an identifier other than a reduced rate identifier.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.